likelihood

like·li·hood

noun \ˈlī-klē-ˌhu̇d\

Definition of LIKELIHOOD

: probability <a strong likelihood that he is correct — T. D. Anderson>

Examples of LIKELIHOOD

1. There is a strong likelihood that he will be reelected.
2. <the weatherman on TV said that the likelihood of rain today was fairly high>

First Known Use of LIKELIHOOD

14th century

Related to LIKELIHOOD

Synonyms

liability, probability

Antonyms

improbability, unlikelihood, unlikeliness

Related Words

credibility, plausibility, plausibleness; feasibility, feasibleness, possibility, potentiality, reasonability, reasonableness, viability

Near Antonyms

doubtfulness, dubiousness; impracticability, impracticality; implausibility, incredibility, incredibleness

Rhymes with LIKELIHOOD

adulthood, arrowwood, babyhood, bachelorhood, brotherhood, buttonwood, candlewood, cedarwood, cottonwood, fatherhood, geezerhood, hardihood, high priesthood, Hollywood, Isherwood, knock on wood, leatherwood, livelihood, lustihood, maidenhood, motherhood, nationhood, neighborhood, orangewood, parenthood, personhood, puppyhood, Robin Hood, sandalwood, scattergood, servanthood, sisterhood, spinsterhood, toddlerhood, to the good, tulipwood, understood, widowhood, womanhood, yellowwood, zebrawood

likelihood

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

In mathematics, a subjective assessment of possibility that, when assigned a numerical value on a scale between impossibility (0) and absolute certainty (1), becomes a probability (see probability theory). Thus, the numerical assignment of a probability depends on the notion of likelihood. If, for example, an experiment (e.g., a die toss) can result in six equally likely possible outcomes, the probability of each is .

Variants of LIKELIHOOD

likelihood or chance